Crestview metro named country's No. 30 College Town

The American Institute for Economic Research is taking back Crestview's No. 4 ranking among the country's Top College Towns, citing an analytical error that occurred while the organization's staffers were compiling the initial College Destinations Index.

By MATTHEW BROWN / News Bulletin

Published: Friday, December 6, 2013 at 03:07 PM.

CRESTVIEW — The American Institute for Economic Research will release its 2013 Top College Towns list — again — early next week, according to Stephen Adams, the organization's president.

But neither Crestview nor Fort Walton Beach and Destin — three cities comprising the metropolitan area the institute named No. 4 on the list two weeks ago — will make the Top 20.

An unnamed analyst with the institute entered incorrect data into the College Destinations Index, which resulted in Crestview's misplaced ranking, Adams said.

"We are very sorry for the inconvenience," he said. "We realized it was a mistake ... and we pride ourselves on letting others know that we are correcting it."

One pivotal piece of data on the initial index states that the Crestview-Fort Walton-Destin metro has a net increase of 543.4 businesses per 100,000 poulation; that number should have been -12.5, Adams said.

That drops the Crestview metro to No. 30 on the list; a drop, but not a bad position, Adams said.

"The economic indexes for Crestview are actually very positive," he said, citing the $41,852 annual income earning potential.

CRESTVIEW — The American Institute for Economic Research will release its 2013 Top College Towns list — again — early next week, according to Stephen Adams, the organization's president.

But neither Crestview nor Fort Walton Beach and Destin — three cities comprising the metropolitan area the institute named No. 4 on the list two weeks ago — will make the Top 20.

An unnamed analyst with the institute entered incorrect data into the College Destinations Index, which resulted in Crestview's misplaced ranking, Adams said.

"We are very sorry for the inconvenience," he said. "We realized it was a mistake ... and we pride ourselves on letting others know that we are correcting it."

One pivotal piece of data on the initial index states that the Crestview-Fort Walton-Destin metro has a net increase of 543.4 businesses per 100,000 poulation; that number should have been -12.5, Adams said.

That drops the Crestview metro to No. 30 on the list; a drop, but not a bad position, Adams said.

"The economic indexes for Crestview are actually very positive," he said, citing the $41,852 annual income earning potential.

Northwest Florida State College President Ty Handy said local residents shouldn't be discouraged.

"I'm not disappointed," Handy said. "It doesn't make this any less of a great place to live."